Making Caring Common
Raising kids who care about others and the common good.

Student Purpose Initiative

Student Purpose Initiative

 
 
 
 

Supporting Students to find Meaning and Purpose in Life

 
 

Research shows that about 40% of teens report experiencing little or no sense of purpose or meaning in life, which is consistently associated with elevated anxiety, depression, and disengagement at school. Purpose development is strongly correlated with academic motivation, resilience, psychological well-being, and long-term employment outcomes.

 
 
 

Apply to Join the 2026-27 School Year Initiative (limited spots and funding available)

 

Who can join?

Any U.S.-based high school that would like to use new resources from Making Caring Common to foster meaning and purpose. We’re looking for schools that have NO active purpose-fostering intervention or set of resources.

What is required

All participating schools will be asked to:

  • Identify a School Champion: a school administrator, leader, counselor or teacher who will guide the work at your school and who will communicate with MCC about implementation at your school.

  • Have all students, and some teachers, at your school complete a pre and post survey to measure impact and join a focus group (October 2026 and April of 2027)

  • Implement one of three new MCC resources with high school students:

  • Schools recruit staff volunteers to become Purpose Mentors.

    • Students complete a survey to share how strong their sense of purpose is, if they want to work with a mentor this year, and which mentor they’d like to work with. 

    • MCC shares a report with your school, with the names of all students who are seeking support as well as the mentors that they’d like to work with. 

    • A School Leader assigns each Purpose Mentor 5-10 mentees.

    • Purpose Mentors use MCC’s resources to mentor their students throughout the year. Each Staff Mentor will meet with each of their mentee’s at least six times for at least 20 minutes each.

    • Mentees will share a culminating purpose reflection.ription text goes here

    • Schools recruit a group of Student Leaders who will lead 4 whole-school or whole-grade purpose events as well as a group of staff volunteers to support and prepare these students.

    • 4 times between October and April:

      • Staff and students will use MCC’s Purpose Toolkit to prepare for a whole school event.

      • Students Leaders, with staff support, will lead a whole school purpose event.

      • At these events, all students will be assigned a multi-grade student group who they will work with to reflect on, and discuss, purpose and meaning.

      • Each student will create a purpose artifact

      • Each group will create a shared purpose artifact

    • Student groups will share a culminating purpose reflection.

    • Schools recruit a group of staff Advisors to lead a 12 - session purpose advisory series.

    • Advisors lead 12 weekly 30-minute advisory sessions with their classes

    • Students complete independent purpose activities in-between sessions.

    • Advisors meet with small groups of students at least twice across 12 weeks to provide additional mentorship and support.

    • Students will share a culminating purpose reflection.

Participating schools will receive

  • New meaning and purpose resources from MCC

  • A step-by-step guide to support implementation at your school

  • Support from the MCC team

  • Up to $1,000 to thank your School Champion for leading the work and communicating throughout the year with MCC

  • $50 for select students and educators who participate in an end-of-year focus group

  • $25 for select educators who complete a survey

 
APPLY FOR INITIATIVE